Casual Comics Guy – Hot Comic Picks (Week of October 8, 2014)

It’s finally October. Well, I guess last week was technically October, too, but it’s finally cooling off and starting to feel like fall. I’m starting to feel the urge for scary movies and moody comics. Let’s see what this week holds for us.

So, Steve Niles. That guy is pretty well respected. I mean, 30 Days of Night had a great story. Even though the art was unbearably terrible, it was still worth reading just for the cool concept. So what does Niles have in store for us this time:

“The creative team behind Monster & Madman would like to introduce you to the ongoing adventures of retired monster-hunter Frederick Allan and his family? which include a thrill-killer, a witch, and a warlock. Because sometimes crazy is the glue that binds a family together.”

All right… I’ll check it out. The art can’t be worse than 30 Days of Night….

This is an unbearably beautiful cover for a very interesting book. I featured the first issue in a previous “Hot Picks of the Week” column. Now that the mini-series is winding down, I feel compelled to pick them all up. You can be ceratain that you’ll see the trade paperback (best friend of casual comics fans everywhere) featured soon.

“Using an enchanted potion Mary frees her companions from the Dream Queen’s spell. But time is running out for them, they must find the talisman they’ve been searching for to release Mother Night and discover their true nature.

As an all out assault on the palace ensues, their final confrontation between light and dark will ultimately reveal all. “

Well, if it’s the last issue, I’d certainly hope they would “ultimately reveal all”. Thanks for nothing lazy solicitation writer…

Worst Comic of the Week:

This may or may not be a new category. I honestly can’t recall. It’s late. I’m on Eastern Time now. And I’ve been browsing more than my recommended daily allowance of comics.

One thing is for sure. This is the WORST comic of the week. It’s trying so hard to be “hot” that it’s the complete opposite. Let’s set aside the horrifyingly non-functional costume on the woman here. Let’s set aside the terrifyingly poor costume design on the guy. They both look like far too stiff action figures, And, I think she’s supposed to look seductive, but instead she looks like she’s going to plunge her claws into his chest Mola Ram-style.

Then there’s the hilariously bad cyclops behind them. Everything about the cover to this issue amplifies the argument that comics are for stunted pre-teens whose brains are damaged by heavy metal music.

But let’s be fair and find out what the plot of this comic is:

“The Mighty Titan is now aware of his cancer diagnosis. A surprise meeting with a super-powered woman, Caress, sends him reeling into a sea of anger and doubt. Joe Martino’s The Mighty Titan wraps his experiences as a cancer survivor in a super-hero shell.”

I still count it as a miracle that Marvel is finally reprinting this classic series. For those of you who don’t know, issues 11-15 are the hardest back issues to find. Which is weird, because they are the climax of this first story arc. Reading the apex of this story arc changed my view of comics forever.

As you can see, Alan Moore still continues to be a jack-hole about the credits to the comic. But, if you want to see the best work Alan Moore ever did, you’ll be reading (or re-reading) this classic series. The continuing revelation of the true source of Mike Moran’s powers, plus the introduction to Miraclewoman would normally be enough. But, this issue also slips in the re-introduction to the super-evil Kid Miracelman. It might sound silly, but that’s the point. Moore creates one of the best, most tragic story arcs in all of comics and this is smack in the middle of it.

That’s why Miracleman #12 is the Official Casual Comics Hot Comic Book of the Week.

(Also, be prepared for #13-15 to be the hot picks, regardless of what else comes out those weeks…) In the meantime, support your local comic book shop.